Because of the Attorney General: The Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum Returns to Schools

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara prevented Education Minister Yoav Kisch from appealing the court ruling that reinstated the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum in schools. The forum, which includes family members of terrorists, has resumed activities in educational institutions. Kisch called the decision "scandalous and disgraceful."

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara prevented Education Minister Yoav Kisch from appealing to the Supreme Court against the ruling that reinstated the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum in schools. Kisch demanded that the High Court Department of the State Attorney's Office file an appeal, but the Attorney General refused to approve it, arguing that the forum is allowed to participate in events supporting draft refusal while also lecturing to students. Following the decision, the forum resumed its activities and appeared in several educational institutions over the past month. The battle against the forum began about three years ago, when Kisch announced that its representatives would not be allowed to lecture in schools after it was revealed that the organization includes family members of terrorists and that its chairman is a released terrorist. It also emerged that during meetings, the facilitators presented the IDF as an occupation army and incited against the state. The organization petitioned the Jerusalem District Court through the Association for Civil Rights, and in April 2024, Judge Avraham Rubin accepted the petition. Last June, Judge Rubin ruled that the Ministry of Education must return the program to the database and ordered the state to pay 20,000 shekels in costs. Kisch attacked the ruling, calling it "scandalous and disgraceful." The CEO of B'Tzalmo, Shai Glick, called on Kisch to petition even without the Attorney General's approval, through private representation.